Josh Kerr’s 3:42.66 mile has been officially ratified by World Athletics, confirming the British runner’s name beside a record that belonged to Hicham El Guerrouj for 27 years.
The announcement on Monday, 9 November, completes the approval process for Kerr’s performance at the Novuna London Athletics Meet on 18 July. His run took 0.47 seconds off El Guerrouj’s 3:43.13, set in Rome in 1999.
World Athletics also confirmed three other records from the summer, covering the men’s half marathon and two hurdles events.
The Mile That Ended A 27 Year Wait
Kerr had made his intentions clear before arriving at the London Stadium. His attempt, known as Project 222, targeted one of the most enduring marks in track athletics.
With 60,000 spectators watching, he reached 800 metres in 1:51.1 and passed 1,200 metres in 2:46.39. By the 1,500 metre mark, the clock read 3:27.62, faster than his previous British record over that distance.
He still had the final stretch to negotiate, but crossed the line in 3:42.66 to become the first man to run a mile inside 3:43.
Yared Nuguse followed in 3:45.69, with Jake Heyward third in 3:46.73. For Kerr, already a world 1,500 metre champion, the performance added another major achievement to his career.
Why Does A World Record Need Approval?
The celebration happens at the finish. Official recognition comes after the evidence has been checked.
Under World Athletics rules, the national federation in the country hosting the performance must submit the record application and supporting information. That includes the competition results and, for a track record using fully automatic timing, the photo finish and timing control images.
The athlete must also undergo doping control after the event. The testing documentation and laboratory results form part of the review, with the Athletics Integrity Unit examining the relevant material.
The application is supposed to be submitted within 30 days, but that is a submission deadline, not a promise that approval will be completed within a month.
Until ratification, the performance remains subject to those checks. Monday’s announcement confirms that Kerr’s time has passed through that process.
Three More Records Confirmed
Yomif Kejelcha’s 56:51 half marathon in Buenos Aires on 23 August has also received official approval.
The Ethiopian took 29 seconds off Jacob Kiplimo’s previous mark of 57:20, reclaiming a record he had previously held. His time works out at roughly 2:42 per kilometre across the full distance.
The other two performances came at the same Diamond League meeting in Zurich on 27 August.
Brazil’s Alison dos Santos ran 45.80 for the men’s 400 metre hurdles, improving Karsten Warholm’s world record by 0.14 seconds.
Less than 40 minutes later, American Masai Russell clocked 12.09 in the women’s 100 metre hurdles, taking 0.03 seconds off Tobi Amusan’s previous mark.
All four performances now have official world record status, with Kerr’s London mile formally closing a chapter that began with El Guerrouj in 1999.
